As a junior, I expected attending senior prom to be nothing less that stellar. Prom is built up so much over time, the fancy dresses, the nice venue, classy themes, it’s something most high school students look forward to all year. And considering prom serves as the topic of several iconic films, you tend to expect greatness. And so I did.

Preparation for prom is known for being one of, if not the most stressful aspect of the event itself. For girls alone, you have the hair, the makeup, purchasing (or renting) a dress and shoes, it is quite a fiasco. In my experience, preparation included three tries at a hairstyle, a home cooked meal in a stranger’s house, and seventeen people attempting to fit onto one staircase for the “perfect” photo. Yet for some, getting ready for prom is a breeze. 

After .all of this long, hard work comes the main event: the actual dance. The theme for this year’s senior prom was “James Bond, 0017”. As the students made their way in, a red carpet with velvet ropes on either side led them to the entrance to the ballroom itself, where Senior Ben Scamacca (also known as “Ben the question guy”) asked them a survey question. The ballroom was decked out in decorations such as large fake dice and feathered centerpieces at each table. Prom was held at the Penn Stater, and began at 7:30, lasting until 11:00. Many students enjoyed the dance, junior Stephanie Muller, who attended with a group, stated “The event overall was enjoyable and the decor fit the theme”. Although most considered the event to be pleasant, the same could not be said of the music. Muller said the music “could have been better, but I believe the DJ did their best to entertain a large variety of music tastes”. The dance itself took a small hit with the music, but for the most part was considered a success.

Then came the all night party, which began at 11:30, and ended at 5am. Continuing the James Bond theme, students were handed 10 fake $100 bills at the door to “gamble” with, and all seniors were given two raffle tickets. The gambling set up in the cafeteria of Mount Nittany Middle School, where the all night party was held, included games such as blackjack, roulette, and many more. With the money student’s won from these games, they could purchase prizes at a table set up in the lobby area. In the gym, there were many activities. A caricature artist drew pictures in one corner, while across the gymnasium two inflatable interactive games were set up. One was named Meltdown, in which the players had to jump or duck under two swinging boom arms. The other, Adrenaline Rush II, was an obstacle course. Both had long lines for most of the night. In the gym there was also a set of giant Jenga blocks, two oversized tricycles, and a magician that performed impressive tricks for willing participants.

Although the night was long, most students stayed until the raffle winners were announced in the hopes of being the lucky one who won the car. The second most memorable prize of the night, a segway, was given to senior Youssef Nassar. However, when the car winner was presented, most were shocked to learn that he gave it away. Senior Lane Brown was the lucky winner of the car, and almost immediately after accepting it, he decided to give it to a friend, senior Jair Castillo. “I saw Jair and I made the choice to give it to him in that moment. I gave it away because I knew that he needed a car and it was better than me selling it. I am very proud of my decision, Jair has been a great friend over the years and I knew that he deserved the car.” Said Brown. Overall, it seemed that most students found senior prom to be enjoyable. It was all of the fun of a James Bond movie, without the life or death stakes. I believe that Senior prom lived up to the expectations of myself, and many more.